Further Review: New Orleans Saints victory went beyond the game

When the New Orleans Saints rallied to put away the Houston Texans Sunday, it was a special win – for more reasons than just one.

Michael Tortorich

When the New Orleans Saints rallied to put away the Houston Texans on Sunday, it was a special win – for more reasons than just one.

The emotion-filled 40-33 victory transcended football. There was an interesting story there in the Superdome that day, which would not show up in any box scores.

A special guest took the field once again Sunday. It was former Saints special teams standout Steve Gleason.

Always a fan favorite, Gleason was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease)?earlier this year.

His return coincided with the fifth anniversary of the re-opening of the Superdome. After Hurricane Katrina ravaged the landmark, it had to undergo a renovation. Anticipation built for the first Saints home game back in the Superdome after a nomadic period of playing games in San Antonio and Baton Rouge.

The night the doors opened to fans was a memorable one. The Saints faced their rivals, the Atlanta Falcons, and proceeded to march to a blowout victory. The highlight of the night was Gleason’s blocked punt, which came in the first 90 seconds of the game. Teammate Curtis Deloach scooped it up in the end zone for a touchdown, helping to spark a 23-3 win.

“He’s an inspiration to all of us, that whole locker room,”?Saints head coach Sean Payton said of Gleason, who received a game ball after the win.

The former Saint served as honorary captain Sunday. He also led the traditional pregame “Who Dat”?chant as longtime players Drew Brees and Will Smith stood by proudly.

“We’ve had a lot of emotions in the last 24 hours, going back to last night,”?Brees said, referring to the throwback uniforms the team wore and recalling Gleason’s blocked punt, which might be the most significant play in the history of the organization.

The day after the Saints rallied from a nine-point deficit to score a franchise record 23 points in the fourth quarter, the team and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu presented Gleason with a Super Bowl ring. Several former teammates, such as Brees, Deuce McAllister and Scott Fujita, shared the special moment with Gleason’s family and friends.

Times like these transcend the X’s and O’s. These moments show that it’s not just a game.

Michael Tortorich is sports editor of the Gonzales Weekly Citizen. He can be found on Twitter at @MikeTortorich.

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